Saving Food: A Roasted Red Pepper Recipe

A big part of cooking for one’s family is managing all the food in the house. When I was a teenager, my mother used to keep gallon jugs of milk in the fridge, and while I don’t think we drank from them straight out of the container, we certainly raced through them. I don’t know how many times she must have had to shop each week, but it had to be more than a few times.

My problem right now is finding the balance between buying too little and buying too much. I currently have four ears of corn that I cooked on Friday, and that neither Santa Maria nor any of the kids wanted. I might have to write off those ears, but I hate to see things go to waste.

The other night I was going through the fridge to make my quinoa salad, and I realized that I had an extra red bell pepper that wasn’t going to last much longer. I knew I wouldn't be using it anytime soon, so I roasted it, sliced it, and put it in olive oil and balsamic vinegar. It will now be good for another few days, if not weeks.

Roasting a pepper is easy. Here's how to do it:

Just rinse it and put it on a gas burner, and turn on the flame. Using tongs, rotate or otherwise move the pepper around so every side of it becomes charred all over.

When it is as black as you can get it, put it in a bowl and cover the top tightly with plastic wrap. Leave it for about fifteen minutes, or longer, and after the pepper cools its skin will slide right off. Knock and rinse (see comment from Matt, below) off the seeds and any bits of charred skin, then slice it and put in a container with enough olive oil and vinegar to cover. I added a bit of oregano, and I’m looking forward to having them on a sandwich or crackers sometime in the near future.

What are some of the things you do to preserve any extra food you have on hand?  Anyone have any ideas about what I can do with those ears of corn?

Comments

[Matt]

Don't rinse off the seeds and charred skin...pick them off instead. Rinsing takes off the oils from the pepper that give it flavor. A little charred skin that sticks gives it additional flavor.

[john donohue]

Thanks for the tip. I updated the post.

[Big D]

I like to use leftover corn in soup, pasta sauces and stir fries. It also freezes well off the cob(I haven't tried freezing it intact). Maque choux is also a favourite recipe, although the kids won't eat it. I've got a good recipe if you haven't made it before.

[Daniel]

I actually had to find a use for 2 ears of corn last night. I had a leftover roasted chicken breast that I diced up and put in a skillet with some BBQ sauce and the corn that I had cut off the cobs. I then mixed the heated mixture with cilantro and sliced green onions. I used this as filler for my homemade tortillas that I cooked while getting everything else ready and topped with some marinated onions and a little sour cream and dinner was served.

[Meg D]

I agree with Big D, just take the corn off the cob and throw it into pasta. My favorite it: corn, chopped tomatoes and shrimp sauteed in a bit of olive oil and garlic. Mix with some whole wheat pasta and throw in some arugula or fresh spinach at the end so you get a nice mix of textures.

I do the same stovetop roasting trick with eggplants. Give it a try, as long as they are not too thick that's all the cooking they need. If they are very large, you will need to slice them down the middle after roasting and then cook them in the oven at 350 for 30 minutes or so to get them to soften up completely. Makes the BEST babaganoush!

[john donohue]

Meg, Dave, Big D!

Thanks for all the tips. Youve given me some great ideas.

j

[Alexia]

Cut the corn off the cob. Dice some onions. Add a little oil to a frying pan along with a couple of dashes each of cayenne and black pepper, then & fry the onions & corn. Don't be shy about the heat -- you want these to get a bit of a char on them. When cooked to your liking, add salt to taste and use as a filling for quesadillas with jack cheese & whole wheat tortillas. Garnish with salsa and/or sour cream if desired.

[Matthew Green]

@Alexia - thanks for the tip! Tried it out last night, it was awesome!